Wheel.



(1.. H. ATTRIDGB.

WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-14, 1914.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

0 H. ATTRIDGE.

' WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED F3314, 1914.

1,127,377. Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLIVER H. ATTBIDGEOF MONTGOMERY ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-FOURTH T0 WILLIAM N. COX, QNE-FOURTH '10 CADWALDER W. BEA-LE, AND ONE-FOURTH TO FREDERICK G. BENNETT, ALL OF MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA WHEEL.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

Application tiled. February 14, 1914. Serial No. 818,759.

Montgomery, in the county of Montgomery and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to resilient wheels and has for an object to provide a wheel of the inner pneumatic type having new and improved features of reliability of action, economy of manufacture and ease of operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hub with a surrounding floating structure, a pneumatic tube interposed be tween the hub and the floating structure, and rockers connecting the hub and floating structure to permit movement of the floating structure relative to the hub under impulse of ordinary use.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved ,means for locking the parts at will to eliminate the floating character of the outer member.

With these and other objects in view the invention comprises certain novel construc-' tions, combinations and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a view. of the wheel in side elevation, one-fourth beingshown with the hub plate removed disclosing the pneumatic tube and the adjacent parts. Fig. 2 is a diametrical sectional view taken on line 2-2- of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the hub taken on the H. Amman,

with the requirements of the axle.

corresponding parts throughout the several views. V

The improved wheel which forms the subject matter of this application is adapted to operate with any style of axle, the configuration of the hub being varied to comp lg shown in the drawing an axle 10 is employed with a hub 11 secured thereon in any approved manner as by the use of the nut 12. The hub 10 is provided with a peripheral flange 13 shown in the drawing as consisting of spaced members but it is to be understood that this form is immaterial to the present invention. About the hub'll members 14 and 15 are secured in any approved manner as by the use of bolts 16. Upon the bolts 16 nuts 17 v are employed with a ring 18 having notches 19 cut therein fitting'upon said nuts. The ring fitsupon the hub 11 and the hub cap 20 screws upon such hub and prevents the nuts 17 from loosening.

It will be noted, especially from Fig. 2 that the members 14 and 15 form a groove or furrow 21 in which is located a pneumatic tube 22. The pneumatic tube is inflated in any usual well known manner, a valve 23 being provided for that purpose.

Between the members 14 and 15 a floating structure is located consisting of spokes 24 and a central ring provided with a groove 25 bearing upon the tube. As thus far described the floating structure is free to move in any direction against the tension of the.

pneumatic tube 22, the members 14 and will limit the movement"of the floating same planeas Fig. 2but enlarged. Fig. g1 structure.

is a perspective view of the nut locking ring. Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of one of the rockers and associated parts.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view through the rocker taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a view of one of the plates in side elevation with a bolt in section showing the means for permitting one part to float relative to the other. Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7. v

Like characters of reference designate As the drive is applied to the hub it. is necessary to provide some means for transmitting-such drive to the floating structure without preventing the creeping action thereof. To accomplish this purpose the floating structure is provided with a segmental opening 27 which may be surrounded by a casing 28"of some wear resisting materialin case the materialofthe floating structure is not of sufiicient hardness to withstand the wear. The opening 27 v 15 being provided with shoulders 26 which;

is provided at the' side nearest the hub with a curved cam surface 29 and at the opposite side with a'curved cam surface 30, both of which are arcs from thesame center so that a rocker block 31 mounted within su h opening is free to move slidably about sugh center. The block 31 is provided with a slot 32 within which is mounted a roller 33 with a bolt 34 extending through suchroller so that the roller and bolt slide in such slot.

As shown in the drawing three of the rockers are provided this being found to be a desirablenumber although it isto be understood that the present invention is not limited to such number. It is also desirable to connect the membersland 15 at points in; addition to thosewhere' they are connected by the bolts 34, For this purpose bolts 35 are employed which extend through openings 36 in the floating structure larger than the bolts to holdthe members 14 and 15 in proper spaced relation but to permit the'floating structure to move readily relative thereto. At other points, as for instance the points indicated at 37, holes are provided through the members H and 15 and through the floating structure so that pins may be inserted through such openings when it is desired to lock the floating struc ture in rigid relation to the hub. Such looking is found desirable or necessary when for instance the pneumatic tube for any reason becomes "deflated or when I the load is so heavy as to make itsdesirable to employ a rigid wheel rather than a'pneumati'c wheel. The periphery of the wheel itself may be completed in any approved manner as by emploving a rim 38 and tire 39, these features being, however, the usual and ordinary cushion-tire and rim. I

It will be apparent that with .the'wheel constructed as shown at Figs. 1 and 2 the floating-structure is free tomove' relative to the hub to the extent provided by the rocking of the blocks 31in the openings 27-andthe sliding of-the rollers 33 in the slots 32. Assuming that one of these rocking structures is at-the bottom of the wheel and subisotto-the load-the result wilLbe to slide the roller 33 in the slot 32 toward the hub while the other'two members will be subjected to a rocking movement to compensate for the movement of the floating structure relative 'to the hub. As the Wheelrotates the position'of the several parts will, of course, be changed, the several rockers bemg returned to normal position by the resiliency carries the load.

- By the employment of the rocker as shown particularly at Figs. 5 and 6 all lost motion, rattling'and like objectionable'features of wheels employing floating members of the pneumatic tube which in fact is obviated and eliminated while the pneumatic tube located between the hub and theperiphery of the wheel is not subjected-to wear or the cutting or fracturing of road use. By the employment of the parts as arranged all of the advantages of a pneumatic tire are secured while eliminating; the

objectionable rattle and other'features of sageof dust is wholly prevented; I claim:

1. The combination with a hub member having radial arms, and an outer member surrounding the hub and retained in position bythe arms; of a compressible tube interposed between the members, a rocker mounted'in the outer member and provided" with a-radial slot, and a bolt carriedby the hub member and slidable within the slot of the rocker.

2. The combination with a hub member having a peripheral groove and arms extending 'beyond the groove, of an outer member having a complementarv groove surrounding the hub and retained in position by'thearms; a compressible member interposed between the hub member and the outer member and located inthe groove; a

rocker mounted in the outer member and provided with a slot; and a pintle carried 'bv the hub member slidable within the slot of the rocker. v

3. The combination with. a hub member having a peripheral groove, of a floating structure surrounding the hub and provided with an inner complementary groove a pneumatic member interposed between vthe members and located within the complementary grooves; rockers located in open- 1 ings formed in one of the members and freev to move. said rockers being provided with slots and bolts extending througli said slots and. through the hub member permitting the floating member to have a movement relative to the hub memben.

h l li E$iQ LEi l relmh m"" haviITgTperipheral groove, and a floating member surrounding the hub, one ofsaid members having segmental openings; of a 1320 pneumatic tube-"interposed between the members, rockers looselv located in said openings and having radial slots, bolts e'x; tending through said slots and connected with the member which is not provided with said openings, and rollerson said bolts.

5. "The combination with ahub having a peripheral bearing surface, of a floating structure surrounding the hub and provided with a spaced complementary bearing surface; a resilient member interposed between the bearing surfaces of the hub and floating structure, said floating structure being provided at spaced points with segmental openings; segmental rockers located in the openings, said. segmental rockers having the same radius buta shorter arc than the segmental 

